Substance Exposed Newborns | Colorado Alliance for Drug Endangered Children

The problem of prenatal substance exposure continues to plague Colorado. To address this issue in Colorado, the State Methamphetamine Task Force in partnership with Colorado Alliance for Drug Endangered Children hosted a work session on the issue of Substance Exposed Newborns facilitated by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare in September 2009. The session fostered an expanded information base about the issue in Colorado, recognition of shared principals, and resulted in the formation of the Colorado Substance Exposed Newborns (SEN) Steering Committee.

The Colorado SEN Steering Committee aims to support continued efforts to:

Improve identification and support of pregnant and/or parenting women using alcohol and other drugs (AOD) and their children
Increase utilization of specialized women’s substance abuse treatment services
Increase utilization of prenatal care for women using AOD
Reduce number of children experiencing abuse and neglect related to parental AOD use
Improved birth outcomes related to prenatal AOD exposure
Improved multidisciplinary communication and cross system collaboration related to issues of prenatal AOD use

National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare's “Five Points of Intervention” are periods of time in which intervention can reduce the potential harm of prenatal and post-natal substance use by women. The SEN Steering Committee's work is structured around these points.

I. Pre-pregnancy: The time frame offers the opportunity to promote the awareness of the effects of prenatal substance use among women of childbearing age and their family members.

II. Prenatal: The time frame that begins after a woman discovers she is pregnant and extends until she gives birth.

III. Birth: This time frame involves identifying substance exposed newborns at the time of delivery.

IV. Neonatal: This period is focused on enhancing developmental assessment and the corresponding provision of services for the newborn as well as the family immediately after the birth event.

V. Throughout Childhood and Adolescence: This period encompasses the ongoing provision of coordinated services for both child and family.

Learn more about our work:

Review House Bill 1100 Legislative Language or Fact Sheet
Read Serving Families Impacted by Prenatal Substance Use: Recommendations for Policy and Practice
Watch our Webinar or Download the Powerpoint
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